“I still have all my investigators intact, and we’re still conducting
interviews, and the investigation is still moving forward,” Detective Sergeant
Gary Giroux told CP24 Monday.

Det. Sgt. Giroux is the
lead investigator on Project Brazen 2 – a probe that had officers surveilling the mayor for months, and which so far
has resulted in charges against the mayor’s friend, 35-year-old alleged drug
dealer Alessandro Lisi.

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And while police had previously said that Brazen 2 targeted a number of
individuals, including the mayor and Mr. Lisi, Det. Sgt. Giroux’s comments Monday made it clear that the
mayor is, in fact, a main focus of the investigation.

“My original mandate is to investigate any criminality involved with the
mayor and the mayor’s office, and that is active and continuing,” Det. Sgt. Giroux said.

He would not comment on whether any charges are pending.

Toronto Police spokesman Mark Pugash said the
mandate of Brazen 2 has always been to investigate individuals related to
evidence that came out of Project Traveller, a gang and drug investigation that
resulted in dozens of arrests in June.

“His [Det. Sgt. Giroux’s] mandate was to look into matters that
arose during Traveller. That’s what they’ve done, and that’s what they’ve
continued to do,” he said.

Toronto Police has requested on a number of occasions to interview Mr. Ford
for Brazen 2 – requests that have been denied by the mayor. “We put in those requests, and those requests stand,” Mr. Pugash said.

But Mr. Ford’s criminal lawyer, Dennis Morris, said there is no reason for
the mayor to meet with police. Investigators are simply fishing for evidence to
use against his client, he said. “Anything he says could be used as
evidence.Why say anything to anybody?”

Mr. Morris added that Mr. Ford has not been charged with any offence. “If the mayor was anyway involved, police would’ve charged him.
But there’s no allegation other than that Mr. Lisi acted alone,” he said. “It’s a targeted effort
to embarrass and shame the mayor.”

The mayor’s office did not respond to a request for comment.

Project Brazen 2 was launched in spring of last year, after
reports surfaced of a video that shows Mr. Ford smoking crack cocaine. Police
documents related to Brazen 2 described meetings between Mr. Lisi and Mr. Ford at all hours of the day and night,
and in unusual locations including parking lots and secluded parks. The report
also outlined allegations by former staffers, including alcohol abuse and sexual
harassment.

Mr. Ford later pledged to change his lifestyle, including vowing
to quit drugs and alcohol. But a series of setbacks have threatened his progress
– including a video last month that showed the mayor rambling in Jamaican patois
and using explicit language, and another that showed Mr. Ford meeting with Mr.
Lisi.